Windsor School students eat veggies of their labor

Ask students from Windsor School in Arlington Heights about garden vegetables like teardrop tomatoes, dinosaur kale and golden beets and odds are they could describe them.

They sampled some of these delicacies recently at the school's annual garden tasting. For the fifth year, they brought in Chef Tom Leavitt of White Oak Gourmet in Long Grove, who prepared a sample dish using vegetables from their end-of-the-summer harvest.

“The kids and parents are inspiring with their commitment to manage the garden every year,” Leavitt said. “I'm still committed because kids should know where their food comes from and they can set healthy lifetime habits.”

Windsor's commitment to the garden as an outdoor classroom has inspired other schools in Arlington Heights Elementary School District 25 to start growing vegetables, including Thomas Middle School and Ivy Hill, Dryden and Westgate elementary schools.

This year, Leavitt prepared a kale salad that featured a variety of red and golden beets, roasted potatoes and onion, all seasoned with a vinegar and oil dressing.

“I never had beets before,” admitted fifth-grader Leslie Caballero of Arlington Heights, “but they were pretty good.”

Fourth-grader Charlie Warnstedt of Arlington Heights had helped water the garden with his mother and he was excited about trying some of its produce.

“I didn't think I would like kale, but I did,” Charlie said. “It was salty and I like that.”

For the last six years, PTA members have worked with school families and teachers to nurture a vegetable garden — located alongside its playground — and give away its produce to local food pantries, including CEDA Northwest in Mount Prospect and the Wheeling Township food pantry.

Parents of Windsor were inspired by first lady Michelle Obama's “Let's Move” initiative in 2010 and her garden on the South Lawn of the White House.

“We wanted to promote nutrition and healthy eating, and just teach kids about where food comes from,” said Heidi Boesen, who co-chairs the garden project with fellow parents Beth Klicker and Andrea Gadson.

Their idea led to the formation of the school's Green Team, made up of PTA members and students who are responsible for the planting, nurturing and harvesting of the vegetables throughout the summer.

The garden is open for students to explore during recess breaks and teachers are encouraged to use the garden as a living classroom.

Fourth-grader Campbell Conner of Arlington Heights helped to harvest the kale for the lunch. Working along with other volunteers, she used garden shears to cut the kale leaves — some 20 pounds worth — for the 300 students who signed up for the tasting.

“I didn't know what dinosaur kale was,” Campbell said, “but now I do. It has rough skin, like a dinosaur.”

Her classmate, Ben Walczak of Arlington Heights, agreed.

“If there's one thing I learned from working in the garden, it's what a teardrop tomato is,” he said.

Principal Shelly Fabrizio said having a chef come to the school and explain his preparation methods, as well as the vegetables featured, makes an impact.

“It's always an exciting day,” Fabrizio said. “We truly enjoy this farm-to-table educational and lifestyle learning experience.”